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[Josephryanevans]

So, here’s a quandary from a total newbie to sound reinforcement.

I’m a banjo and mandolin player and our band is just getting a start. At the moment, I have a wired Audio Technica lapel style mic that I just switch back and forth between the two instruments. It plugs straight into the board. It’s not bad but has distinct disadvantages. Namely that I can’t adjust EQ or volume or anything between the two. I’m stuck with one setting. Plus it’s a pain to switch.

So, I plan to buy either a mic or pickup for one or the other instrument. Further, I’d like to up my ability to control my sound and reduce the number of inputs into the board by buying a 2 channel acoustic amp or a 2 channel preamp.

My questions are is this a good plan, what would be the pros and cons of an amp vs a preamp, and what should I look for in these things to get a natural reproduction of my instruments?

Thank you for any and all feedback.
Joe

[Dave Garoutte]

Look at the  Tone Dexter
I got one to play with and it really does work.
It is for acoustic instruments with pickups.
It automatically builds an algorithm to reproduce the acoustic sound from the pickup.
Very cool tech.

[Josephryanevans]

With the Tone Dexter, can I plug both instruments in at once? One through te mic input and the other through the instrument input?

[Dave Garoutte]

No, the mic input is only for training the device.
However you can have multiple instrument algorithms learned by the device and switch between them.

[Tim McCulloch]

No, the mic input is only for training the device.
However you can have multiple instrument algorithms learned by the device and switch between them.

That's really cool.  Thanks for the pointer to Dex.

[Chris Grimshaw]

So, here’s a quandary from a total newbie to sound reinforcement.

I’m a banjo and mandolin player and our band is just getting a start. At the moment, I have a wired Audio Technica lapel style mic that I just switch back and forth between the two instruments. It plugs straight into the board. It’s not bad but has distinct disadvantages. Namely that I can’t adjust EQ or volume or anything between the two. I’m stuck with one setting. Plus it’s a pain to switch.

Hey Joe,

What's wrong with putting something like a Beyerdynamic M201 on a stand and calling it good?
I like putting mics on stands for people with acoustic instruments, as it means they can get a little closer and push through for a solo, or back off a bit when they're merging back into the ensemble.
An external mic often sounds much nicer than a pickup, too.

Chris

[Josephryanevans]

Hey Joe,

What's wrong with putting something like a Beyerdynamic M201 on a stand and calling it good?
I like putting mics on stands for people with acoustic instruments, as it means they can get a little closer and push through for a solo, or back off a bit when they're merging back into the ensemble.
An external mic often sounds much nicer than a pickup, too.

Chris

Thanks for the tip. I have a few questions about that though.
1. Would I lose some flexibility in tayloring the sound for each instrument?or would a good dynamic mic be able to compensate for the various natures of banjo and mandolin?

2. Is feedback more of a concern when you have a mic out there?

3. That mic costs $300. Is it worth it? Are there more affordable ones that do the job as well? (I know that if I was talking about buying an amp or nice preamp, it would cost as much or more. I’m just thinking out loud.)

Thanks for all your help.

[Chris Grimshaw]

Thanks for the tip. I have a few questions about that though.
1. Would I lose some flexibility in tayloring the sound for each instrument?or would a good dynamic mic be able to compensate for the various natures of banjo and mandolin?

2. Is feedback more of a concern when you have a mic out there?

3. That mic costs $300. Is it worth it? Are there more affordable ones that do the job as well? (I know that if I was talking about buying an amp or nice preamp, it would cost as much or more. I’m just thinking out loud.)

Thanks for all your help.

To answer your questions,

1 - I'd expect a good mic to sound like each instrument. So long as the instrument sounds good, you won't need much/any EQ.

2 - Yep. Decent mics and sensibly-placed speakers should mean that it isn't an issue, though.

3 - There are a lot of people that love the M201, and with good reason - it's nice and flat, so it'll sound like whatever you put it in front of, and the rejection to the sides is very good. It also means that if you decide you want to introduce another instrument, you don't need to add even more cables, pickups, preamps, etc.
Whether or not a given bit of equipment is "worth it" is up to the user. An SM57 is a lot cheaper, but doesn't have the rejection of an M201, nor does it have a particularly flat response. A lot of people like those, too, but they're not for me.

An M88 is also worth a look - similar sort of deal to an M201. Condenser mics are also worth a look, but it's yet another can o' worms.

See if you can rent/borrow a couple of different mics for a week, and see what you think. I suspect you're not near me (Sheffield, UK), but if you are, hit me up and we can work something out.

Chris

[Josephryanevans]

Thanks Chris. This is a very helpful conversation. I wish that I was near you so that I could take you up on such a generous offer. Instead I’m in the lovely, semi-desolate Wyoming. But I do have a vintage knife that was made in Your neck of the woods.

I will look into one of these mics because that sounds like what I need. I’ve been playing a long time and have been fortunate to acquire some really nice acoustic instruments and would like to replicate their sound as truly as possible.

One clarifying question. Rejection on the sides? Does that mean it rejects sound from the sides of the mic and therefore has less chance to feedback and pick up ambient noise?

Thanks

[Chris Grimshaw]

One clarifying question. Rejection on the sides? Does that mean it rejects sound from the sides of the mic and therefore has less chance to feedback and pick up ambient noise?

Thanks

That's correct.
It's a function of the sort of mic you're using. Have a read up on cardioid, omni, figure-of-8, super/hyper-cardioid mics. Understand what's going on, and you'll be better placed to choose microphones based on their characteristics.

I bet there's a forum member on here that might be willing to help you out in exchange for a few beers, or there might be a studio nearby. They almost always have SM57s, and some will have 201s.

Chris

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